Mark Sermon Week 23 - The Family

Welcome

Good morning — Happy Valentines day tmrw

Happy Super Bowl Sunday today!

My name is Justin

Good to be with you

Welcome Online

Good to be back after being out, thank to Tanner and John

Text Intro

We are continuing in the Gospel of Mark

Today, the Pharisees come to trap Jesus

But Jesus takes it as an opportunity to teach on something near and dear to God’s Heart.

If I were to ask you what is God’s primary plan to bring his Kingdom to Earth what would you say?

This has been what the Gospel of Mark is about

Jesus announced the present and coming Kingdom of God.

What would you say?

How many of you thought: Family

Family is God’s plan to bring His Kingdom to Earth

Perhaps it is no wonder that the Biblical Family is under attack in our culture like no other time in our countries history.

Our land is plagued with broken families

2019 Pew Survey

53% believe people will be less likely to get married by 2050

Children living with unmarried or single parent homes is at an all time high.

Could there be a connection to moving away from God’s plan and intention for his creation?

I think so.

BIG IDEA: God values family so much that it is his plan to bring His kingdom to Earth.

There are three ways you can become family:

You marry someone — family created

You are born into a family

You are adopted into a family

God wants you in his family

Bible

We’ll be in Mark 10:1-16.

Go there in your Bible and follow along

Let’s Pray

Pray

Isaiah 61:1–4 (CSB)

1 The Spirit of the Lord God is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners;

2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of our God’s vengeance; to comfort all who mourn,

3 to provide for those who mourn in Zion;

to give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,

festive oil instead of mourning, and splendid clothes instead of despair.

And they will be called righteous trees, planted by the Lord to glorify him.

4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins; they will restore the former devastations; they will renew the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.

Marriage

The Setting

Mark 10:1 (CSB)

1 He set out from there and went to the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Then crowds converged on him again, and as was his custom he taught them again.

Jesus is enroute to Jerusalem

The Crowds come and he teaches — Kingdom Work

So do the pharisees.

The Pharisees

Mark 10:2 (CSB)

2 Some Pharisees came to test him, asking, “Is it lawful (authorized, permitted) for a man to divorce his wife?”

They are coming to test Jesus — to trap him.

The religious leaders try to get Jesus to incriminate himself through misinterpreting the law

Jesus is on his journey to Jerusalem, the closer he gets the more opposition he will experience.

Why Divorce?

Why do they ask about divorce?

It’s kind of an odd question, right?

It was as controversial then as it is today.

There were many opinions about what was lawful or not

It is the same in our day.

Jesus Response: The Scriptures?

Mark 10:3–4 (CSB)

3 He replied to them, “What did Moses command you?”

I love Jesus response

He points them to the Scriptures, to the Word of God.

4 They said, “Moses permitted us to write divorce papers and send her away.”

they are quoting Deut 24:1-4.

This is the only OT law about divorce.

Deut 24:1-4

Deuteronomy 24:1 (CSB)

1 “If a man marries a woman, but she becomes displeasing to him because he finds something indecent about her, he may write her a divorce certificate, hand it to her, and send her away from his house.

So here is the provision for divorce.

If you keep reading, you’ll find that this was:

This law protects the woman from exploitation by her first husband.

Deuteronomy 24:2–4 (CSB)

2 If after leaving his house she goes and becomes another man’s wife, 3 and the second man hates her, writes her a divorce certificate, hands it to her, and sends her away from his house or if he dies,

4 the first husband who sent her away may not marry her again after she has been defiled, because that would be detestable to the Lord.

You must not bring guilt on the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.

Context

In our context, we think of divorce in terms of a judgment decided by a court of law that legally dissolves a marriage.

In biblical times.. divorce was an independent action taken by a husband to cast off his wife - who was regarded as property.

The word used in the Greek text for the bill of divorce (apostasion) was used as a technical term for relinquishing property.

The Certificate of Divorce was meant to exonerate someone from the charge of adultery if they remarried.

The legislation on divorce certificates protected wives from brutal abandonment.

It freed a wife from the accusation of adultery when she, out of necessity, remarried;

and it prevented the first husband from destroying her new marriage by trying to reclaim her.

The Controversy

Significant debate erupted over the first part of this law.

Most Jews took for granted that a man had an inalienable right to divorce his wife.

The later rabbis only argued about what were the legitimate grounds for divorce — not whether it was lawful.

Centered on the phrase “a matter of indecency”

Some emphasized the word “matter”—any matter was grounds for divorce;

others stressed the word “indecency”—the wife had to be guilty of some misconduct (see m. Git. 9:10).

Examples:

“The school of Shammai says: A man may not divorce his wife unless he has found unchastity in her.…

And the school of Hillel says: [He may divorce her] even if she spoiled a dish for him.…

Rabbi Akiba says, [he may divorce her] even if he found another fairer than she”

In our Day — No Fault Divorce

What is Jesus’ view on this matter?

They don’t really care, just trying to trap him

Jesus Response: Creation Account

Mark 10:5–9 (CSB)

5 But Jesus told them, “He wrote this command for you because of the hardness of your hearts.

6 But from the beginning of creation God made them male and female.

7 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother 8 and the two will become one flesh.

So they are no longer two, but one flesh.

9 Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

They go back to Deut 24 — Moses

But Jesus goes back further to Gen 1-2 — which is also Moses

God’s creational design, God’s intention was given in the beginning

Caveat

Jesus is not responding to someone who is in a failing marriage — not giving marital advice to someone contemplating divorce

He is responding to the Pharisees who are trying to accuse Him

This is important to remember when we apply this text.

So let’s not just lob these verse at people who are struggling in marriage and considering divorce

Probably more akin to how Jesus cared for the woman at the well

What is Jesus saying:

Jesus Reasoning

Mark 10:6–9 (CSB)

6 But from the beginning of creation God made them male and female.

7 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother 8 and the two will become one flesh.

So they are no longer two, but one flesh.

9 Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

Jesus Logic

God made them male and female

Therefore they should get married

They become one Flesh

Let no one separate them

1. God made human beings male and female Gen 1:27

Genesis 1:27 (CSB)

27 So God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female.

I suppose he could have made the asexual — without need for another

But he didn’t

But God made them interdependent

made them for one another

literally to fit together

complementary

made the equal but different

2. This is the REASON for the covenant of marriage

The man and wife will leave their families and create a new family

Genesis 2:24 (CSB)

24 This is why a man leaves his father and mother and bonds with his wife, and they become one flesh.

Mark 10:7–8 (CSB)

7 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother 8 and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh.

a one-flesh union

The two become one — one unit

a new creation

A marriage

A Family

This is the first family — created through marriage.

And what directly follows Gen 1:27 the creation of man and woman?

Genesis 1:28 (CSB)

28 God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth.”

This was God’s original plan to bring his rule and reign to the entire earth

Through Adam and Eve

Through the first family.

Notice — PROPERTY

By pointing back to creation Jesus is saying

Women are not just a piece of property

They become part of your very being

Husband and Wife are to be One Unit

Eph 5 - love each other as your own body.

Therefore divorce is as unnatural as dividing your own body.

Jesus’ audience must have been as startled as we would be if he said to us, “Anyone who sells his car and buys another is guilty of theft.”

The divorce certificate carried with it the right to remarry—“Behold thou art permitted to any man” (m. Git. 9:3)—so that no one could be accused of adultery after divorce.

Jesus rejects this provision and insists that the marriage bond must never broken no matter how punctilious one is in following the legal process.

3. His conclusion — THEREFORE

Mark 10:9 (CSB)

9 Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

Let no human being separate one God has joined

Has Jesus answered their question?

Is it lawful?

When we go to Jesus with our questions, we may not like the answer

But that reveals more about our hearts that God’s heart.

Jesus says God’s design, God’s will, God’s intent was for marriage to be lifelong covenantal union between a man and a woman.

Why was divorce permitted?

b/c of hardness of heart.

b/c of sin, selfishness

Isn’t this the problem in marriage? in relationships?

In fact, this is the point Jesus makes to his disciples next

even they do not understand

this was a shocking statement.

Now maybe you have all kinds of questions.

That’s ok, so did the disciples, look

The Disciples Questions

Mark 10:10 (CSB)

10 When they were in the house again, the disciples questioned him about this matter.

they did the right thing, they come to Jesus,

the Word of God with their questions

they said “help us to understand”

Is this where you go?

Do you go to Jesus with your questions?

Do you go to the Word of God for your answers?

Or do you, or your friends, families go to the latest marriage expert?

or what your friends think?

or your counselors?

Jesus Response

Here is all that Jesus says in response to their questions:

Mark 10:11–12 (CSB)

11 He said to them,

“Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her.

12 Also, if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

Applies to both the MAN and the WOMAN

the only time in the Gospels where it is assumed that a woman also has a right to initiate a divorce (a right upheld by Roman law;

He is basically saying

Hey if you steal then you have committed theft.

How is that an answer?

he’s saying it goes deeper than that

Why?

Here’s what he’s saying

Adultery is an issue of the heart

Matthew 5:27–28 (CSB)

27 “You have heard that it was said, Do not commit adultery. 28 But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Remember the certificate of Divorce

it was meant to exonerate someone of adultery if they remarried

But Jesus point is:

a piece of paper cannot take away sin

It was going to take a cross

a certificate cannot fix a hardened heart.

it was going to take a resurrection

Our problem is not divorce, but what leads to divorce, namely hardness of heart

and jesus came to change hearts!

And wouldn’t you know just as the conversation gets good

in come the children

which again is the second way we become family.

Children

Mark 10:13 (CSB)

13 People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them.

Jesus is busy explaining all this to the disciples

and people start bringing kids to Jesus for him to bless.

Isn’t that that what kids do?

they just barge in and interrupt a conversation?

They do at my house

The disciples get angry, they try to send them away

they are in the middle of learning a very important lesson

They are having their Jesus time

But man, look at Jesus’ reaction

Mark 10:14–16 (CSB)

14 When Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the little children come to me. Don’t stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 16 After taking them in his arms, he laid his hands on them and blessed them.

Jesus gets angry! — displeased!

They rebuke the kids, Jesus rebukes them.

He says, don’t hinder them from coming to me.

Why?

Jesus loves the little children

Jesus loves biblical marriages

Jesus loves the family

We may see children as an inconvenience

but they are a glorious inconvenience

and Children and the family are God’s plan to bring His Kingdom to Earth

“Be fruitful and multiply — fill the earth!”

Isn’t interesting that Americans are having less and less children

In fact, it is falling to a dangerous level that in the coming generations we won’t have enough people to sustain our culture.

sounds like the enemy.

And the trend isn’t getting any better

2019 Pew Survey

nearly half (46%) of Americans expect that by 2050 people will be less likely to have children than they are now.

The Importance of Family

God values the family so much that the family is God’s plan to bring His Kingdom to Earth

It is his blessing.

I really want us to see this b/c parenting is Hard right?

but we need to see the importance of it.

And parenting is nothing more than discipling.

Everything we have seen in Mark about how Jesus makes disciples applies to parenting.

Parenting is discipling

I want to talk about how this actually works

How it is that God advances his Kingdom through the Family

But first we need to look at the last way we become family.

Adoption.

And I think we see it in our text.

God’s Family

Mark 10:15 (CSB)

15 Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

How does one enter the Kingdom of God?

We must receive it as little children.

Children are needy, they are dependent

They also exhibit an unwavering faith that their parents will provide for them.

This demonstrates what faith and repentance are

Mark 1:15 (CSB)

15 “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe (exercise faith)the good news!”

And when we believe that Jesus died for us and rose for us

and that we died with Christ and rose with Him

John 1:12–13 (ESV)

12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

We are adopted into God’ Family

And as part of God’s family, we get to enjoy all the benefits of being a part of God’s Family

Ephesians 1:7–8 (CSB)

7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8 that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding.

Ephesians 1:18–20 (CSB)

18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the mighty working of his strength. 20 He exercised this power in Christ by raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens—

And that means all of us here who have believed in Jesus

and all across the world

We are family, we are brothers and sisters

Mark 3:33–35 (CSB)

33 He replied to them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” 34 Looking at those sitting in a circle around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”

This means that we, as God’s family, are God’s plan to bring his Kingdom to Earth

Through us.

So now, what does this look like?

Bringing the Kingdom of God

Much of it is relational.

We’ve talked about Husbands and Wives

Parents and Children

and brothers and sisters in Christ.

1. God’s Family

When our biological families are broken, or town apart

As the Church you have a spiritual family.

This means, we get to be family to one another.

This is a beautiful thing and it is also known as Biblical Community.

So, you may need to receive it — receive the church as family

join a community group or a discipleship group

Join a family

2. Loving one another through repentance and forgiveness

We want to uncover just what Jesus did:

Where is their hardness of heart?

In struggling relationships where are repentance and forgiveness needed?

Husbands and Wives

Parents and Children

Brothers and Sisters

If you are struggling in your relationship, ask this of yourself first!

Where is my heart hard toward my spouse? child? Parent? Brother or Sister?

Where do I need to forgive?

Define Forgiveness

Where do I need to repent?

Define repentance

Ask your spouse/parent/child/sibling:

Don’t come to accuse, come to ask

And Listen to them

What do I need to hear?

Good Practice: Seeds and Weeds Questions:

Are there any seeds or weeds?

You may need to have this conversation tonight

tmrw valentines date

The Power of the Cross

Jesus is in the business of bringing dead things back to life?

If your heart is hard towards someone

only the gospel has the power to break and remake your heart

only the gospel can soften you towards forgiveness and repentance

B/C Jesus died for ALL sin

Your sin against your spouse

But also, your spouses sin against you

we tend to forget that one

You see only the Cross makes forgiveness possible.

so you don’t have to hold your spouses sins against them

b/c all sin has been held against Jesus on the cross.

Don’t you see how freeing that is?

You don’t have to win the argument — you get to lay down your life for your spouse

You don’t have to punish your spouse — you can bless them and pray for them

this is why the Cross is the very entry point into the Kingdom of God

into a life ruled by God’s Will and God’s grace.

Parents

Parents this means repenting and forgiving in front of your Kids

you sin in front of them right?

Maybe you have something against your father or mother?

follow the same path

have the conversation

You will be freed from the bitterness and resentment that plague you.

But plan the conversation

set aside time for it

pray about it

get counsel

This is what it means to have Christ at the center of your family.

We need Christ Centered marriages

Christ centered families

Christ centered Churches.

Christ will empower us.

3. Your Heavenly Father is your source of Strength

Mark 10:15 (CSB)

15 Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

We need to receive the Kingdom of God

from our King

Receive as children — dependent on the Father’s provision, power and presence

and he will give it.

We simply need to ask — that’s called prayer.

Luke 11:10–13 (CSB)

10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”

Closing

God values family so much that it is his plan for bringing His Kingdom to Earth.

I hope you believe this

it begins with marriages

and extends to our children

It is manifested in the Church, God’s Family

It begins in the hearts of every human being

to be forgiven and reconciled to God the Father

to live as his Child

to love one another through forgiveness and repentance

When we live this way, by God’s power, His kingdom will come to earth through us.

and lives will change

and nothing will be the same

Let’s Pray

Prayer

Adds:

What are some of your questions?

Is divorce never ok ? If so, in what cases?

What about when abuse is present?

Can you re-marry? If so, when?

What if you marry an unbeliever?

What if your spouse turns away from God?

These are good questions

And questions that can’t be answered from the pulpit

but require biblical community

biblical wisdom

They require pastoral care

and knowing the story, the truth